Biscuits eliminated from playoffs in 4-1 loss

Biscuits' Daniel Robertson flicks the ball to Tommy Coyle for an out at second during game four of the Southern League Division Series between Montgomery Biscuits and Chattanooga Lookouts on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015 at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala.(Photo: Albert Cesare / Advertiser)Buy Photo

Montgomery Biscuits manager Brady Williams could do nothing but console his players as the second-best season in team history came to a gut-wrenching end.

The Biscuits committed two errors and hit into four inning-ending double plays in a 4-1 loss to Chattanooga on Monday at Riverwalk Stadium in Game 4 of the Southern League North Division Series.

It’s the second straight time the Biscuits have been eliminated in the Division Series (2012).

The Lookouts will play in Biloxi for Game 1 of the Southern League Championship Series, which begins Wednesday. The Shuckers swept Pensacola in the South Division series.

“We were off our game for whatever reason,” Williams said. “Chattanooga executed its game plan very well and was a big part of why we struggled tonight. It just didn’t feel like our night out there.”

Biscuits starting pitcher Taylor Guerrieri (0-1) pitched five innings and gave up three runs — two earned — off four hits and four walks while striking out five.

Biscuits first baseman Jake Bauers hit a home run to right field with 2 out in the second to give Montgomery a 1-0 lead. Bauers went 2-for-3 on Monday.

Chattanooga responded with two runs in the third. Steve Wickens got a leadoff double, then scored on an error by Bauers to tie the game at 1. Travis Harrison followed that up with an RBI single, scoring Max Kepler for the second run.

In the fifth, Max Kepler doubled then scored on a sacrifice fly by DJ Hicks to give the Lookouts a 3-1 lead. A solo shot to left field in the eighth by Adam Brett Walker ended the scoring.

Lookouts starter David Hurlbut (1-0) pitched seven innings and gave up the one run off six hits with four strikeouts.

Chattanooga did leave eight runners on base and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position, but did take advantage of two Biscuit errors.

Other than the home run by Bauers, the Biscuits did not get a runner past second base and were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

“We had our chances, but we couldn’t come with timely hits like we have all year,” Williams said. “It’s hard for these guys because they’ve been through a lot together.”

The Biscuits had its best chance to score late in the eighth with runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. After Tyler Goeddell struck out, Patrick Leonard grounded into a double play to end the threat.

A 77-win season came to a disappointing end for the Biscuits, who won 22 of its last 30 games while clinching its first playoff berth in three seasons.

“It’s a hard one to let go, because there are 25 guys in there that believed in each other and were rooting for each other. Hopefully, we’ll be right back in position next year,” Williams said.